The Vanishing Poker Game

It is said that a group of men had been enjoying frequent friendly games of poker in the barn loft
of one of the livery stables. Protests of wives finally forced the town marshal to move against the
law breakers. Entering the lower room of the big barn one night he stumbled noisely over harness
and feed pails and was long delayed by the darkness in finding the ladder that led to the loft
(having thoughtlessly neglected to bring a .lantern with him). Finally starting to mount the ladder
he called loudly, "Look out, boys. The law's acomin'." Despite constant reports that gambling had
been going on there, the vigilant marshal found no sign of it when he reached the scene of the
alleged crime.